Mute for stringed instruments



C. B BERGEN. MUTE FOR STRINGED INSTRIUMENTS. APPLICATION HLED' Auelzs, 1921.

Patented May 23, 1922.

by I

Any.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MIITE FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1922.

Application filed August 25, 1921. Serial No. 495,246.

To (all whom it may concern:

3e it liIlOVJl] that I, Cnannns B. BERGEN, a resident of the city of i Vashington, in the District oi Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mutes for .rltrin ed Instruments, oi? which the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part thereof.

My invention relates to devices employed for muting stringed instruments, such as violins, bass-viols, cellos, and the like and has for its main object the provision of a simple device readily titted to the violin or other instrui'nent and permanently borne by such instrument but adapted to be moved into and out oi? engagement with the bridge by a slight bodily movement thereof by the performer while playing or while the instrument is held in any ordinary position.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a mute which will not in any way sharpen the strings or the instrument but will impart to the tones a richness and sweet ness in quality.

A further object or" my invention is to provide a. mute for permanent sliding con tact with the strings oi? the instrument and so borne thereby as not to intertere with the playing of the instrument.

Other objects will hereinafter be set torth and it will be understood that changes in torm, size and the minor details of construction may be made without departing from my invention as defined by the appended claims.

l? or a clear understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing my invention applied to the instrument and in position for muting. V

Fig. 2 is a plan view, showing the mute out of engagement with the bridge.

Fig. 3 is a view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing how the mute is out of contact with certain of the strings.

Fig. i-is an end elevational. view of the mute.

Like references designate the same parts in the several views of the drawings.

The letter A indicates any musical instrument, such as a violin, viola, bass-Viol, cello, or the like, having a bridge 13, tail piece J and the strings 10. The mute 11 comprise a body portion 12 made of rosewood, ebony or other material havingsuitable properties and is provided with a curved surface 13, which may be of the form oi a semi-ellipsoid so as to revent shar aenin of the strings. As may be seen from an inspection 01 Fig. 3, the shape of the mute is such that it is in contact with the A. and D strings of the instrument but out of contact with the E and G strings and the contact with the A. and D strings is merely a sliding contact and does not stretch or bend the strings. It will be understood that while I have specified the names of violin strings, such names are merely descriptive and illustrative. The body 12 has a flat face let for engagement with the side of the bridge B toward the tail piece J formuting. Secured to the mute on its fiat face 14, by glue or other adhesive substance, is a strip of chamois 15 or other suitable material for the purpose of soften ing the tone. vVhile highly advantageous, the use of this strip is optional. At the ends ot the body 12 and integral therewith, are the knobs 16 to facilitate the moving of the mute into and out of engagement with the bridge.

As a means for maintaining the mute in sliding contact with the strings. there is secured, preferably by a screw 19, to the body 12 at the top thereof near its flat face a flat spring 1'? and integral with this flat spring is a spring clip 18 adapted to extend over the top of the bridge for the purpose of holding the mute against the bridge and t'or purpose of aiding in muting by reducing the tendency of the bridge to vibrate as is readily apparent to those familiar with the art. The edges of the fiat spring 17 are upturned, as shown, or they may be beveled at their lower sides in order not to scratch the strings or harmfully afiect the tone in any way.

The mute may be moved into and out of engagement with the bridge by grasping the knobs 16 with the thumb and forefinger and giving the mute the slight movement re quired in the desired direction and as an additional and optional means for moving the mute, there is provided the semi-circular thumb piece 20, secured to the flat spring 17 and body portion 12 by the screw 19.

My invention, as described above, is simple, easy to manufacture and very convenlent in its use. It is not broadly new to slidably mount a mute on the strings of the in strument in such manner as to enable it to be moved bodily into and out of engagement with the bridge, but my novel mute so constructed as to be positioned underneath the strings Where it can not intertere with the operators playing. Moreover, it is mounted in such a Way as not to sharpen the strings or interfere with the quality of the tone but on the other hand imparts to the tone a desirable richness and sweetness.

My mute if; readily fittedito the musical. instrument on Which it is to be borne and, bein constructed as hereinbetore described, it is always in position for immediate use, enabling toe performer to manipulate it quickly and repeatedly When desired Without incurring the inconmniences occasioned luaretoitore. These and other advantages are apparent to persons familiar with the art.

What I claim and desire to secrure by ters Patent of the United States, is:

l. The combination with a musical instrw ment having strings and a bridge of a mute comprising a body portion, a flat spring for holding said body portion in sliding contact with certain of the strings and a spring clip integral with said flat sprii'ig for removably Lea holding said body portion in contact with said bridge.

2. A mute for stringed musical instruments comprising a body portion having a bridge engaging face and a spring for engagement With'the strings of the instrument and having integral therewith a spring clip for holding the mute in engagement with the bridge of the instrument.

ii. As a new article of manufacture, a mute for stringed instrument comprising a body portion having a curved surface and a liat bridge engaging face, a fiat spring secured to said body portion and a spring cllp integral with said flat spring.

i. As a new article of manufacture, a mute for stringed instruments comp rising a body portion having a flat bridge engaging face, a Hat spring secured to said body poi--- tion, a spring clip integral with said flat spring and a thumb piece secured to said spring and body portion.

In witness whereoli ll hereunto allix my signature this twenty-fifth day of August, A. D. 1921.

CHARLES B. BERGEN. 

